Conventions, PC Gaming and Obsessions.

2/13/10

As this is my last tour of duty with Katsucon, I must admit that I was not expecting to attend what has probably been one of the coolest and most meaningful panels that I have ever attended at this particular function. Perhaps it is due to my latest addiction, but the WoW-centric “MMOs Unite: WOW: Wrath Edition” panel was a highly entertaining panel if not very informative on a personal level. In fact I believe that I have made quite a few self- discoveries, in that I will never ever be a championship-level MMO player.

The panel speaker, Manny Camacho showed his obvious love for warlocks and disdain of the warrior-class aside, yet was still brilliant! The CEO and founder of GPX gaming Inc approached the game from a mathematics standpoint that had me wanting to break out a pen and paper for a few equations. He spoke of the various class damage scales in ways that would make school kids madly enthusiastic about math and PVP encounters. And while he didn’t apply that higher level of math to the economy of the AH and WoW universe, it was still blatantly obvious that gaming encompasses so much more than sole entertainment.

But the brilliance didn’t end there! Oh no. While Manny didn’t touch upon the crippling damage done by gaming obsessions, or the sociological damage done by hours spent hooked into the game, I believe he illustrated it damn well.

He showed this video (Funeral in WoW) and while the room lit up with laughter, mine too…I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and how I might have been the one to have done something so crass in my obsession.

You see, apparently a young woman died in real life and her friends decided to have an in-game funeral for her in a neutral contested area, which the Horde(an opposing faction) proceeded to attack as if they were raiding a low-level dungeon (ahem, Deadmines). While I laughed and cried during this the showing of this video, the main thing on my mind was that if that were my friends funeral I would make sure that payback ensued…in game and like a mad mutharfucka!

I don’t have to go into details about addiction, there are others with worse sob stories than mine, but for some reasons this was the point when I had to leave. Why? Because it can’t be that serious and yet it is at times… Am I getting help for my addiction? No but realizing the problem is a quarter of the battle.

Alas, as I prepare to do my last all-nighter for Katsucon at the Gaylord Hotel (a very swank establishment I might add) I will miss all the anime kids, the platform gamers (there is no love for the PCers in the game room)and the nights of consuming mass quantities of sugar and caffeine while. But I will be attending Balticon…and at one point perhaps Blizzcon, who reeeeaaally needs to have an event on the North East Coast.

Oh yeah...It was for a great cause too!!

So after work today, I got on the red line and headed downtown to attend the "Readers for Life" Literacy Signing sponsored by RWA. As the mighty romance convention is this week and being held in Washington, D.C., I decided to head on down and see the sights. Boy, did I feel like the intimidated wall-flower. With sci-fi novel in hand, I stood in line for almost an hour before being released into a veritable den of authors, for the mass charity signing. To say it was overwhelming would be an understatement. Over a hundred authors were there and after grabbing the two signed books I specifically came to get, I ran into two other must have reads. God, but I would have loved to stop by every table. As it was, I got to chat with Ally Blue and Shayla Black, two authors with e-publishing chops and Lori Foster, whose convention I would love to attend. Sabrina Jeffries also gave me a wonderful autograph for my friend at work! The authors were there in force with goodies and it really made me excited and determined to one day join their ranks...in the meantime, I have a lot to read :D

Late Balticon Report

Monday, May 25, 2009

Well, as I am writing this report, I am gearing up to go for my last shift in the game room at Balticon. From 1a.m.-9a.m., this has been an intriguing and enlightening experience for me. This being my first Balticon and a convention with a great deal of writer-centric program offerings, I really felt that I got something out of this experience other than credit card receipts. I attended several cool panels, namely “Seducing the Editor,” “Villains in Science Fiction” and “Peddling Smut.” I might have attended more but as it was, I have been wiped out by the late night game room monitoring.

I got to meet some very cool people, namely gay writer J.M. Snyder, Phaze publisher Kathryn Lively and publisher/writer Alessia Brio, all of who gave me great tips and advice. I received several free books, advertisements, cds and yes I received a Bookworm Bag!! Ahh, the promo stuff that I have to go through, the suggestions that I want to follow up on—it’s all so daunting and exciting at the same time. Attending a convention more geared towards writers is such a refreshing jump starter and I am so glad I came. Although, my cats, Zoe and Cougar might be a tad pissy.

While much, much smaller than other cons I have attended, I have to say that I love having a short wait for the elevator, no crowds that make maneuverability in the halls a nightmare and having workshops that do not have to be held in an auditorium. I do have to learn how to pace myself better, especially if I am going to work at night, but other than that, I have had a wonderful time this Memorial weekend. I even purchased the cutest little addition to my office Godzilla and friends’ collection. I also purchased a copy of the hilarious “Zombies versus Ninjas,” the horror-comedy which was premiered at the con. The directors (I think they were) were there and convinced me to give this low-budget gem a look see. They also recommended their podcast Suckcast, both have turned out to be gems.

I definitely plan on attending next year, if only just to see one of my new favorite writers, Tanya Huff!!!

Balticon and Back in the Day Geekdom...

I actually have the 2nd edition and the 4th edition of the Advanced Dungeon & Dragons Player's Handbook and played for a long time prior to finding World of Warcraft. Gaming in worlds built upon fantasy, has always been a favorite pasttime of mine. Back when I first started hitting cons, I went to a very geeky, but comfortable, friendly and small sci-fi and gaming con called Evecon/Castlecon. Talk about awesome! Getting to meet other geeks like myself, to game in the LAN room, and talk sci-fi was like heaven. It lasted for a few good years, but when it ended I was a bit lost. I had friends working for Katsucon, a japanese anime con with some gaming thrown in and so I decided to work for their staff. While there were some geeky elements, there wasn't nearly enough sci-fi and live action for me and I will admitt that the amount of yipping kids in costumes pretending to be Cloud or Tifa just didn't do it for me. (However the guy dressed as General Grievious kicked ass)

Anyway, I have worked at Katsucon for the past 4 years and all the while, I kept hearing about Balticon. A friend gave me a program last year, and I'll admit that it was the writer's programming that got me first, but the when I saw all the sci fi programs, I was determined to attend! And then I found out that I recognized a lot of the writers attending. Oh yeah, it was a must.

Initially, I figured I would go in writer persona, but nah, the geek in me won out and I ended up accepting a job. So this year, I will be in table top gaming, where I can watch (and play) some of the cool table top games. (Debating about bringing Magic cards) I will have my muse with me and will be doing some brain storming for my next project (hint: Guard) and hope to get a few autographs and books.

Wish me endurance...I allways end up sleep deprived and exhausted by the last day but expect to have a good time.

Leaving on a Jet Plane...aka Research...

While I promised myself that I would cut down on the amount of trips I took in order to be able to make more writing events, I find myself somehow preparing to leave for the lovely island of St. Martin, the Dutch side. However, it is not just coincidence that "Burned by the Sun" the novel I am currently working on takes place on the same island. I had been to St. Martin before and really adore the island. So, its going to work out perfectly. I'm going to carry my laptop with me, finish up the novel which only needs 3 more chapters and do a TON of background research...at the local bars.

Still, one day, I vow to hit a writers conference and while the massive RWA and RT are a bit pricey, con.txt is not really a writing con and I am still wary of Epic...and well in general kinda antisocial, I will make it to something with workshops on the use of commas, on the construction of believeable conflict in plots and how to plan a trilogy!!

I am sincerely thinking that maybe I should stick to something small though, like maybe my local chapter of RWA at least for 2009. I mean, taking a trip for research purposes for a novel has the same weight as social networking at a convention right?...Ok...so, really, I am going to try my damndest to make Balticon, it has a ton of writers activities.

And maybe next year for every two pleasure (writing and researching) trip I take, I'll take one convention trip (socializing, learning craft and maybe writing). Maybe...